Bowling pin



June 13, 1961 F. c. DETTMAN BOWLING PIN Filed Sept. 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY FREDL DETI'MAN.

June 13, 1961 F. c. DETTMAN BOWLING PIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1958 ZNVENTOR. FREDCDETI'MAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,988,359 BOWLING PIN Fred C. Dettman, 821 Garson Ave., Rochester, N.Y. Filed Sept. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 759,031 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-82) This invention relates to bowling pins, and more particularly to a composite pin and light weight core con-. struction therefor.

Bowling pins in common use are made of maple. Such pins are expensive, exhibit variations in weight and surface resistance, the latter due to the grain of the Wood.

The present invention relates to a pin having uniform surface characteristics, and capable of weight control, and manufacture from relatively inexpensive materials. Attempts to duplicate maple pins by the use of plastics has generally resulted in a pin having a weight exceeding that specified by the oflicial regulations. The present in vention is directed in part to a core construction which is light, rigid, and inexpensive, and which can be varied to olfset the weight of the heavier durable plastic which is employed at principal points of impact.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a pin shown half in front elevation and half in cylindrical section;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the lower portion of the pin substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings the pin comprises a central core of elongated cylindrical form formed of light wood such as white pine. Disposed on the core 10 at the point of largest diameter of the pin are two circular discs 12 and 14 of %1" thick plywood. The discs are each provided with an aperture closely fitting the core and the disc are snugly fitted upon the core and correctly located and secured in position by a suitable glue. Extending upwardly from the plywood disc 12 are a plurality of inclined struts 16, which in the form shown are six in number.

The struts are disposed uniformly around the pin. Each of said struts 16 may be of dowelling and is recessed as at 18 in the plywood disc 12 and as at 20 in the side wall of the core or stem 10. The recesses 18 and 20 closely fit each of the pins or struts 16 and the pins or struts are secured in position by glue. Extending downwardly from the plywood disc 14 are additional angularly disposed struts 22 which are staggered in relation to the struts 16. The struts 22 are likewise recessed in the plywood disc 14 as indicated at 24 and the lower end of the struts 22 are shaped to lie against the exterior surface of the core 10* so as to be suitably bound in place by a plastic foot ring 28 so shaped as at 24 and 26, such ring being formed of nylon or other suitable plastic.

Above and below the plywood discs 12 and 14 are disposed cork discs 30 and 32, and 34 and 36. Such discs Patented June 13, 1961 are formed of light sheet cork material approximately /2" thick of the type commonly used for flooring. Each of the discs is suitably notched to closely fit the struts 16 or the struts 22 as is indicated at 38, and in assembling the pin it will be appreciated that such cork discs 30 to 36 inclusive are placed in position prior to the assembly of the struts.

Behind each of the struts 16 is disposed a triangular block such as 42 which extends from the upper surface of the cork disc 32 and fills the space immediately behind each respective strut or pin 16. Such blocks are formed of the same light cork material from which the discs 30 to 36 are formed.

The upper end of the pin is provided with a cap 44 of relatively tough plastic such as Tenite and such cap is recessed as at 46 to receive the upper end of the core 10, and the core 10 and the cap 44 are provided with aligned axial apertures 48 and 50 in which is positioned a dowel pin 52 to secure the cap to the end of the central core. All of the parts thus described will be secured together by glue or other adhesive providing a strong bond between the parts. In practice, Bordens glue may be found to be effective for this purpose.

Around the girth of the pin and particularly the plywood discs 12 and 14 is positioned an annular ring 54 which may be formed of a tough, durable plastic such as Tenite. Such ring will have an axial length greater than the thickness of the two plywood discs 12 and 14 and will tightly bind upon and extend around the exterior cylindrical surfaces 56 and 58 of the plywood discs 12 and 14 and be adhesively secured and bonded thereto.

It will be seen that the structure thus far described provides a light core 10 and a relatively light-weight central section by reason of the employment of the light core, and sheet cork material of which the discs 30 to 36 inclusive and the triangular blocks 42 are formed. The structure, being light, is adapted to have moulded thereover a mass of heavier material 61 which will provide the approximate shape of the pin shown. Such mass of heavier material may comprise a mixture of heavy wood sawdust and glue, Masonite sawdust and glue or a material formed of a mixture of wood chips and glue. The exterior of the pin as thus formed by the mixture thus described will provide a contour extending from the cap 44 to the band 54 approximating the shape of a standard pin but slightly under-sized to provide for a plastic coating such as 60 which will extend from the tip 44 to the band 54 and provide the exact pin contour desired.

Between the band 54 and the foot ring 28 there will also be moulded about the pin a mass of similar material to that shown at 61 and as indicated at 62 and the exterior shape of such mass of material will be somewhat under-sized so as to permit the application of a layer of plastic material such as 64 to extend from the band 54 to the foot 28. It will be seen that no triangular wedge blocks such as 42 are provided in the lower part of the pin and the mass of material 62 will thus fill all the voids around the core and the discs and struts. The structure thus provided results in a somewhat increase in the weight or average specific gravity of the pin in the region below the band 54 as compared to the region above the band 54 and the struts 16.

In practice the number of struts 16, and 22 may be increased if desired, to as many as 9 or 12 above and 9 or 12 below. Such struts, which may be of maple, brace the plywooddiscs on the core 10, and provide a solid rigid core for the surrounding band 54, and filler material 61 and 62. Also the number of layers of cork, such as 30-36 may be varied, to vary the thickness and weight, either above or below the central impact area which is defined by the ring 54. By varying the amount of cork I either above or below, in relation to the filler material 61 and 62, a pin of correct balance may be readily provided. Once the desired balance is obtained, the pin may be duplicated in production, and the same weight and balance obtained for all pins, thus providing the uniformity necessary and providing a pin of the standard weight such as 3 pounds or 3 pounds and 2 ounces.

The exterior coating 60 and 64 may be applied and bonded to the filter material by painting, spraying or dipping, and thereafter the pin may be polished or otherwise finished.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition ofthe limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling pin having a central light weight wood core, a plywood disc disposed thereon in the region of greatest diameter and impact, uniformly angularly spaced diagonal brace members extending from said disc from adjacent the periphery thereof to said core both above and below said disc, and light weight filler material disposed in the region defined by said braces, a plastic cap on one end of said core, an annular foot ring on the lower end of said core embracing the ends of the brace members below said disc, additional filler material above and below said disc, said additional filler material, cap and ring having an exterior comforming substantially to the standard shape of a bowling pin.

2. A bowling pin having a central light weight wood core, plywood discs disposed thereon in the region of greatest diameter and impact, uniformly angularly spaced diagonal brace members extending from said discs adjacent the periphery thereof to said core both above and below said discs, and light weight filler material disposed above and below said discs and around said core, and in the region defined by said braces, a plastic cap on one end of said core and an annular plastic foot ring of impact resistant material disposed around said core and the ends of said brace members below said discs, and filler material above and below said discs of a weight heavier than said light Weight material, said last named filler material, cap and ring having an exterior conforming substantially to the standard shape of a bowling pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,053,654 Seidel Feb. 18, 1913 1,087,927 Deuther Feb. 24, 1914 1,170,339 Romunder v Feb. 1, 1916 1,205,278 Skalla Nov. 21, 1916 2,797,923 Dettman July 2, 1957 2,809,038 Scheidemantal et al Oct. 8, 1957 

